2009 Televisions in Montana - Montana Owners Club

dsprik · 01-04-2006, 06:14 AM

"I'll worry about that when it comes.", "I don't watch TV broadcasts anyway.", etc. For everyone else (unless I missed a category of people):

http://money.cnn.com/2006/01/04/tech...ltv/index.htm?

I believe that what they are saying here is that "Pay" subscribers (cable hookup at CG and satellite) will not have to have to worry about this. Of course in three years something can change...

richfaa · 01-04-2006, 06:32 AM

If you have cable or Sat you will not get HDTV but you will get Digital TV..You will not need a converter box or new TV.

dsprik · 01-04-2006, 07:01 AM

Right, I understand it will only effect people who are NOT paying for TV service, like cable and sat. People using antennas to get local broadcasting will not get a signal after 2/17/09. They said in another article that Congress chose this date as it was AFTER the Super Bowl, and BEFORE the College NCAA Tournament. That says a bunch about the American viewing habits. Stands to reason... I hear it will be another record year ($$$) for a 30 sec Ad during the Super Bowl.

Apparently, Congress is concerned about an angry American public, even with all this advance notice. They figure it is going to be a "big deal", but I'm trying to figure out why. Although... Katrina people were severely warned with a "Get out, NOW!" and that still didn't work in many, many cases. So maybe they do have a legitimate concern here.

Montana_70 · 01-04-2006, 09:37 AM

I think the concern is the demise of "Free TV". I know in 2004 when I was busy running from Hurricanes, it was nice to take refuge in a Park and know for the short stay I would be able to use my Antenna if only for local stations and weather reports.

Also the times I have only stayed in a park for a short stay that did not have cable I could use the Antenna, or when I was in a park with trees so dense the Sat signal was blocked. It wasn't cable or sat but better than nothing.

I have liked the idea of having the Antenna option. There are also more people than you would think that still rely on an Antenna for what little they get, just because they don't have the money or choose not to pay for TV.

So I think it's the demise of one more American "privilege" that has Congress feeling a few Americans might be a little angry about this.

Maybe you have to be as old as I am to get it.

dsprik · 01-04-2006, 09:56 AM

So, when you receive your new Montana in 2009 (only 3 yrs), you will only be able to use your TVs with satellite or a cable hookup. TV networks might be able to figure a way to broadcast over WiFi? Computers probably are the TVs of the future anyway.

Just curious... how many of MOCers out there actually rely on an analog signal (TV antenna) to get some or all of their television programming? I know there are several satellite people, but I have no idea if they are a majority, or a minority.

richfaa · 01-04-2006, 11:04 AM

The changeover is to HDTV (high defintion)You can still receive by antenna but will need a HDTV to do so.You can buy a HDTV now and many stations are already broadcasting in HDTV& regular Tv..We have satellite and use the antenna as a back up. As we buy new TV sets they will be HDTV.

CountryGuy · 01-04-2006, 11:17 AM

We use cable when we are in a park that offers it. In many parks that we frequent (specially in the summer) we use the antenna. Use antenna at home, we get stations from Lansing, Detroit and Toledo. Miss things like CNN, Headline News and the Weather channel, but other wise ole Carol does not care. NOW, if you ask Al you will get a different answer, he would like to have something besides the antenna, but after our less than stellar experience with direcway internet, I guess he is not in a huge hurry to have "S" tv. If he were in a hurry, we would have it!

so, the short answer, is we pretty much depend on antenna tv! home and Montana!

dsprik · 01-04-2006, 11:25 AM

So, if I understand what you are saying, Rich is that many, if not most local TV stations are dual broadcasting both digital and analog, and that the analog will go away 2/17/09, but you will still be able to use you antenna for local "digital" broadcasts, IF you have a digital converter box? Someone mentioned to me that there is a difference between Digital and HDTV... that you can receive digital without getting HDTV. Does that sound right?

And then how are going to find room for the extra box or equipment will we need for our 2 Montana TVs, if you are not going to be hooked to sat or cable? They are not "digital ready" are they? Sorry for all the questions... it is confusing. I have a feeling there are some in Washington that are confused also. Maybe I'll just watch DVDs...

richfaa · 01-04-2006, 02:13 PM

Sounds like what you said is correct. The cable box and the Sat receiver box will act like the converter box you will have to get when the TV stations go all HDTV.Note that on some programs now it will say broadcasting in HDTV.Yes it is a little confusing..will go into great detail over diner and wine at the Toledo RV show. By the way when you go to the GR show seek out the Montana Reps and get all the info you can about the new Models..Found out today that Montana will start powder coating the frames in Feb.Since the 3670 is history all the bids we put out are useless and we are back to square one on pricing///

Hemlockusa · 01-04-2006, 03:31 PM

Heck Rich, just think of all the fun your going to have all over again SHOPPING... I think my 2009 TV viewing will be GREAT and MUCH MORE ROOM in the Montana's any style... WE have to remember by then most TV's will just be 4 or 5 inches DEEP. There you go.. That give's the Montana Folks about two feet of SPACE to do something great. I sincerely hope were all around in 2009 to see it..

Later John H

dsprik · 01-04-2006, 04:22 PM

Thanks for the info, Rich. I look forward to our mini vacation with you guys in Toledo. Fill me in on "powder coating". I'm not familiar with that process, or the purpose?

dbrill · 01-04-2006, 11:14 PM

We do over the air at home and in the Mountaineer. We are about 40 miles west of DC and just replaced the dead family room TV with an HDTV with built in tuner. We actually pick up more channels now (with amplified rabbit ears) than we did before (DC,Baltimore, Hagertown, Southern PA), can't wait for spring to get a real antenna on the chimney. It's actually pretty cool because most stations are using multiple HD frequencies so the networks have weather on one frequency all the time and PBS has PBS kids on all the time (which my grand-daughter loves as we can always find elmo on somewhere). We are just planning on replaceing the TV's as they die with HDTV's or in 2008 whichever comes first. I just can't wait to see where the 50 to 70 million obsolete TV's create a new mountain range since congress probably has no plan on what to do with them.

bobgay · 01-05-2006, 03:13 AM

Dave, we get HDTV at home over satellite and also have a HDTV antenna for the local HDTV broadcasts out of Jacksonville. I must say watching in Hi-Def is addictive, particularly for sporting events.

We have a satellite receiver (digital, but not HDTV) in the RV. It takes about 20 minutes to set the dish up, so we usually only bother if we are going to stay in one spot for several days or if we are in the boonies and there is a good football game on.

If Hi-Def TV sets keep going down in price like they have lately, by 2009 replacing old sets probably won't be a real big deal.
Bob

richfaa · 01-05-2006, 04:44 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Hemlockusa

Heck Rich, just think of all the fun your going to have all over again SHOPPING... I think my 2009 TV viewing will be GREAT and MUCH MORE ROOM in the Montana's any style... WE have to remember by then most TV's will just be 4 or 5 inches DEEP. There you go.. That give's the Montana Folks about two feet of SPACE to do something great. I sincerely hope were all around in 2009 to see it..

Later John H

Well we had everything set to go.. All we had to do was write the check..However the improvements are good things so we are excited about that.Although we do not have the recent numbers we know about what we will pay for whatever model we buy.We had hoped to take delivery with enough lead time to "work out all the kinks " before any serious traveling and that CAN still happen..Just another challenge..we are up to it...

Parrothead · 01-05-2006, 05:25 AM

Don
You make a good point about the old ones and how we will get rid of them. Maybe that is what part of the money Congress is setting up for this will be used for.
Happy trails......................

Northstar · 01-09-2006, 07:41 AM

We can always thank our leaders for looking out for our best interest. However, guard your pocketbook.

You may also like: